According to the Center for Democratic Institution, women in the autonomous province of Boungainville are increasingly playing an important part in the country’s peace process.

Below is an article published by the National: 

This was revealed at the 9th annual Centre for Democratic Institution (CDI) in Goroka yesterday [12 December 2007] by Deputy speaker of the Autonomous Bougainville Parliament and women’s representative of the North Bougainville, Francisca Semoso.

She said [they started] to gain respect from their male counterparts [as] they played major roles in the peace process and conflict resolutions. 

Ms Semoso during her presentation on the “roles of women in the Bougainville peace process” said although women are highly respected in Bougainville, they suffered a lot in the conflict.

She said they were denied basic rights to medical treatments, education and other related rights but struggled determinedly for peace. 

“I salute the women of Bougainville for taking the front lead in solving problems,” Ms Semoso said. Member for Kogara, Central Bougainville in the ABG [Autonomous Bougainville Government] House of Representatives Dominic Itta yesterday [12 December 2007] said that there should be more accountability and the rule of law should prevail over the Island at all times.

Mr Itta said all the money given to them by donor agencies and the Government of PNG [Papua New Guinea] should be used for the purpose it was intended for and not outside of the budget. “We have an obligation to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of the people, with equal distributions of resources that should be filter down to the common people,” he said. 

Mr Itta said they were taking a bottom- up planning approach and are addressing issues from the bottom to the top which looks promising. He said that the women were good managers in their matrilineal society adding that they give fair representation to them.

“We have three women MPs in the Autonomous Bougainville Government House of Representatives. They are Ms Semoso (North Bougainville), Magdalene Toroansi (Central Bougainville) and Laura Amba (South Bougainville). 

They are among 37 male MPs,” he said. Mr Itta said the three seats were for the women but any women can contest the 37 other seats during elections.